Tatarian maple tree named ‘GarAnn’

ABSTRACT

A new distinct cultivar of Tatarian Maple tree named ‘GarAnn’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and rounded plant habit; strong and nearly horizontal branch angles; attractive fall foliage coloration; and vibrant red-colored samara that retain their coloration for about six weeks.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Acer tataricum cultivarGarAnn.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of TatarianMaple tree, botanically known as Acer tataricum, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘GarAnn’.

The new Tatarian Maple tree originated from a cross-pollination of twounidentified selections of Acer tataricum, not patented. The newTatarian Maple tree was discovered and selected as a single plant fromthe resulting progeny of the cross-pollination by the Inventor in acontrolled environment in Fort Collins, Colo. in 1993.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar in a controlled environment bysoftwood cuttings taken in Fort Collins, Colo., has shown that theunique features of this new Tatarian Maple tree are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Trees of the cultivar GarAnn have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘GarAnn’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘GarAnn’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Upright, outwardly spreading and rounded plant habit.

2. Strong and nearly horizontal branch angles.

3. Attractive fall foliage coloration.

4. Vibrant red-colored samara that retain their coloration for about sixweeks.

Plants of the new Tatarian Maple tree are most similar to the parent,the unidentified selections of Acer tataricum. However, in side-by-sidecomparisons conducted by the Inventor in Fort Collins, Colo., plants ofthe new Tatarian Maple tree differed from plants of the parentselections in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Tatarian Maple tree had stronger branch angles thanplants of the parent selections.

2. Samara of plants of the new Tatarian Maple tree retained theircoloration about two weeks longer than samara of plants of the parentselections.

Plants of the new Tatarian Maple tree can also be compared to plants ofthe Acer tataricum cultivar Pattern Perfect, not patented. However, inside-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Fort Collins,Colo., plants of the new Tatarian Maple tree differed from plants of thecultivar Pattern Perfect in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Tatarian Maple tree had more attractive fallfoliage coloration than plants of the cultivar Pattern Perfect.

2. Samara coloration of plants of the new Tatarian Maple tree was deeperred, more intense and longer-lasting than samara coloration of plants ofthe cultivar Pattern Perfect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Tatarian Maple tree.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical 12-year old tree of ‘GarAnn’ grown in the ground in an outdoornursery in Fort Collins, Colo. during the early summer.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a side perspective view ofthe same tree when it was 8 years old in fruit.

The insert photograph on the second page is a close-up view of typicalsamara of ‘GarAnn’.

The photograph on the third sheet comprises a side perspective view ofthe same tree of ‘GarAnn’ during the fall.

The insert photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of typicalfall foliage coloration of ‘GarAnn’.

The photograph on the fourth page is a close-up view of the branch angleof a typical tree of ‘GarAnn’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Trees used for thedescription were about two years from planting and were grown undercommercial practice in the ground in an outdoor nursery in Fort Collins,Colo. During the production of the trees average temperatures rangedfrom −2 to 22° C.

Botanical classification: Acer tataricum cultivar GarAnn.

Parentage: Cross-pollination of two unidentified selections of Acertataricum, not patented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Softwood cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About three weeks at 20° C.

Root description.—Fibrous and freely branching.

Plant description:

Form.—Deciduous tree; upright, rounded and outwardly spreading planthabit.

Plant height.—Plants will be about 5.5 meters after 12 years.

Plant diameter.—Plants will be about 6 meters after 12 years.

Branching habit.—Very strong branch angles, lateral branches nearlyhorizontal; dense and bushy plant habit.

Lateral branches.—Internode length: About 5.5 to 7.5 mm. Strength:Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Young stems: 172A. Maturestems: 201D.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Simple; mostly alternate, occasionallyopposite and lobed. Length: About 5 to 10 cm. Width: About 4 to 7 mm.Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Cordate. Margin: Doublyserrate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper and lower surface:Smooth, glabrous; somewhat rugose. Color: Summer, upper and lowersurfaces: 141B. Winter, upper and lower surfaces: Center, 25B to 15B,towards the apex, 46A.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Single flowers arranged in corymbs orlong-peduncled panicles. Not freely flowering; flowering non-recurrent.

Natural flowering season.—In Fort Collins, Colo., trees flower in earlyMay and flowering continues for about three weeks.

Inflorescence diameter.—About 3 to 5 cm.

Inflorescence length.—About 2 to 3 cm.

Flower diameter.—About 4 to 5 mm.

Flower buds.—Diameter: About 2 to 4 mm. Shape: Spherical.

Petals.—Quantity: Five per flower in a single whorl. Length: About 2 mm.Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Rounded. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color, when openingand fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 158D.

Peduncles.—Length: About 5.5 to 7 cm. Color: Close to 141C.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Eight per flower. Anther length:Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 158D. Pollen color: 158D. Pistils:Quantity: Two. Pistil length: Less than 1 mm. Stigma color: 158D. Stylecolor: 158D. Ovary color: 158D.

Fruit.—Type: Samara. Shape: Winged, wings nearly parallel. Length: About2.5 to 3 cm. Diameter: About 8 to 10 mm. Color: 45B; color lasts forabout six weeks.

Seed.—Type: Flat nutlet. Shape: Elliptic. Length: About 5 to 6 mm.Diameter: About 4 to 5 mm.

Disease/pest resistance: Trees of the new Tatarian Maple tree have notbeen noted to be resistant to specific pathogens and pests common toTatarian Maple tree.

Weather tolerance: Trees of the new Tatarian Maple tree have beenobserved to be tolerant to rain, ice, snow and wind and tolerant totemperatures from −2 to higher than 20° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Tatarian Maple tree named ‘GarAnn’, as illustrated and described. 